Step 1

1. Prepare 1kg of pork ribs. First, soak them in cold water for about 1 hour to remove any blood. After draining, rinse the ribs thoroughly under cold running water. Gently pat them dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat. To help the marinade penetrate evenly, score the ribs against the grain. Bring a pot of water to a boil with a splash of soju (Korean rice wine), then blanch the pork ribs for just 40 seconds. Rinse them under cold water again and drain them in a colander.

**Pro Tip:** If you enjoy a richer, fattier taste, you don’t need to trim as much fat. I’ve removed most of it. You can also skip the blanching step and marinate the ribs directly, but blanching helps reduce the amount of grease in the final dish and effectively removes any gamey smell. For large batches, marinating for over 10 hours in the refrigerator is also a great way to eliminate odors.

Step 2

2. Cut the radish into pieces similar in size to the pork ribs, and round off the sharp edges using a peeler (like a potato peeler). Cut the onion into large chunks and the scallion into large pieces. For garnish, slice the carrot into rounds about 1cm thick (3 slices). Rounding the edges of the carrot slices will make them look more appealing.

3. In a large bowl, combine the blanched pork ribs with the prepared radish, onion, and scallion. Add 11 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp minced garlic, 3 Tbsp mirin, 3 Tbsp oligodang (or mulyeot), 6 Tbsp pear juice, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of black pepper. Gently mix everything together with your hands until the ribs are well coated with the marinade.

***To make fresh pear juice, grate about 1/4 of a pear and use the juice.

4. Cover the marinated pork ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For an even deeper flavor, marinate for longer if time permits.

Step 3

4. Transfer the marinated pork ribs to a pot and add 3 cups of water (about 600ml). Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, occasionally spoon some of the cooking liquid over the ribs to keep them moist.

After 30 minutes, add the prepared carrots to the pot. Lower the heat to low and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, covered. Remember to ladle some of the sauce over the ribs intermittently.

After about 1 hour of simmering, the pork ribs should be very tender. Serve the braised ribs on a plate, garnished with pine nuts, sesame seeds, or chopped scallions.

**Finishing Touches & Tips:**
* Adjust the cooking time based on your stove’s heat. If the ribs are not tender after 1 hour, continue simmering. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little water.
* Taste the sauce towards the end and add more soy sauce if it’s too bland, or adjust other seasonings to your preference for the perfect Galbijjim!